Practice Makes Perfect
by humanxlampshade
Summary: Genos takes a lesson from Saitama a little too seriously, and Saitama is surprisingly okay with the whole thing.
1. Chapter 1

Saitama could hardly contain his exciment as he set up the DVD player, more eager than usual to get the night started.

It was a typical Friday night, which meant that it was Saitama's choice for movie night, and boy did he find a gem this time. As if the title _Zombeavers_ wasn't enough, the description on the back of the case had him sold. Saitama always had a thing for terrible horror movies, since they usually ended up being hilarious, but he quickly found he enjoyed them even more now that he had someone to watch them with. Genos didn't understand what Saitama thought was so funny about cheesy gore and bad acting, but Saitama found the cyborgs commentary of the film almost as hysterical as the movie itself.

About half an hour into the movie, the main cast of three girls and three boys were lounging out on a floating dock in the middle of a lake, catching some sun. Following the stereotypical teen horror plot, they were staying at a family cabin by themselves, in the middle of nowhere. After finding a rabid beaver in the bathroom the night before, the teens were eager to get of the house.

"Sensei, this does not make any sense." Genos stated, "If they are aware of the beaver problem, why would they all go out to the middle of a lake? And why would they think it was a good idea to stand on a dock made of wood? Don't they know that-"

Satiama laughed, causing the cyborg to trial off into silence with furrowed brows. The older man was about to make a comment about the others lack of appreciation, but turned his attention back to the television screen when several shrieks and a splash sounded from the speakers. The three boys had dived into the lake and were splashing at the girls, who were screaming about not wanting to get wet and hiding behind each other.

"They are in the middle of a lake," Genos noted, pointing out the obvious. "They would have gotten wet to get there."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, "Saitama shushed him. Seriously, in a movie about zombie beavers, Genos was worried about that? Menecing music filled the room, and Saitama got distrated again, forgetting the witty remark he was about to make. "Hold that thought, I think it's about to get good." The camera angle was rapidly switching back and fourth between the teens by the dock, and the point of view of something sinister moving through the weeds near the shoreline.

The oblivous teens countinued on. " _You guys should really get out of the water_ ," the more level-headed brunette called out to the boys. " _Aren't you worried about the beavers? We shouldn't even be out here._ " The boy wearing an orange beanie wiggled his eyebrows, and suggestively responded with " _I wouldn't mind seeing some beaver, if you know what I mean_."

"I do not know what he means," Genos deadpanned. "Why would he want to see a beaver?"

Saitama choked on his drink, slapping a hand over his mouth in an attempt to keep quiet. Genos raised an eyebrow, and Saitama made an I'll-explain-later motion, knowing damn well that he was definitely _not_ going to explain later. Genos could figure that one out on his own.

The camera angle changed again, the thing in the water getting closer and closer to teens. They were too caught up in their argument to notice the bubbles rising to the surface a few feet away from the swimming boys. Suddenly, the boy wearing the beanie choked out a scream before being pulled completely below the surface. The remaining two laughed, telling the one under water to quite screwing around.

" _Oh my god, is that blood_?" the brunette yelled, pointing to blooming red spot where the boy had vanished.

It definitely was blood, but no one moved an inch. Without warning, Beanie Boy broke the surface with a ear splitting shriek, his severed left foot clutched between his hands.

"You have got to be kidding me," Genos scoffed at the screen.

"I know, right?" Saitama agreed. "There's no way his hat would still be on after getting dragged underwater like that."

Genos turned and fixed his gaze on the older man in disbelief. "You cannot be serious, Sensei. He is literally holding his own foot. That is medically impossible."

The seriousness of his tone made Saitama chuckle again, clutching at his stomach. At this point he was unsure what was funnier: the terrible CGI or the cyborgs unamused expression. They were only a quarter of the way though the movie, and Saitama hoped it only got better from here. Genos already looked entirely done with the film altogether.

A terrifying swim and one dog sacrifice later, and the teens were safely boarded back up in the cabin. It was night time now, and after a long debate on what to do with a severed limb -they decided to just throw it in a cooler full of ice- the teens had broken off into pairs, the couples all consoling one another in separate rooms after the tragic events of the day. Saitama had a bad feeling on where this was headed, but he hoped he was wrong.

No such luck. Just as he suspected, the camera flashed back to one of the bedrooms to find one couple in the middle of a heated makeout session that showed no signs of stopping anytime soon. _Ugh, romantic subplot._ Saitama rolled his eyes, instantly losing interest in the film for the time being.

"Oi, Genos," Saitama called out, flipping onto his back to let his head roll off the edge of the sofa. "Wanna go make some popcorn real quick while this is going on?' He jerked his thumb towards the television, where heavy breathing and more gratuois beaver jokes were coming from the speakers.

Saitama kept his gaze fixed on Genos as the cyborg stood and moved to the kitchen, rummaging though a few cupboards until he found the microwavable package. The cyborg set the timmer, and Saitama prayed that the movie would get back to the action by the time the popcorn was done.

It wasn't that he had a thing against romance or anything. It was just that it didn't interest him as much as it once did. Ever since gaining his strength, Saitama found it harder and harder to really _care_ about anything. Most of the time his lack of interest didn't really phase him, especially when it came to anything romantic, but that didn't mean he liked having it shoved in his face.

The sound of kernels popping pulled his attention back to the kitchen, where Genos was patiently waiting. Now that he thought about it, Genoes never really showed any interest in romance either. Even now, he didn't so much as glance at the screen. He stood straight-backed, eyes focused on the timer. It wasn't until Saitama called out to him that he turned his head.

"I was wondering..." Saitama started, eyeing the screen before turning back to Genos. "Have you ever had a girlfriend?" He had never asked Genos about it before, never really had a reason to ask him, but now that he was thinking about it, he was incredibly curious.

Genos received all the female attention one could ask for, and then some. Hell, his fangirls sent him half naked photos on a regular basis. But Genos never did anything with them other than incinerate the photos on sight before calmly continuing to the next one. The cyborg never showed any kind of interest in romantic scenes in the movies they watched either. Usually Saitama would use that time as an excuse for a bathroom break, or to go get a quick snack, but Genos didn't seem to have an opinion on them either way. Saitama didn't hide his thoughts towards the issue, but it did make him wonder what Genos thought of it.

Genos stared at him blankly, eyebrows raised, before turning back to the microwave. "I have not," he said simply. He waited for Genos to continue, but apparently that was all he had to say on the topic. The cyborg paid him no mind as he opened the bag of popcorn and poured the contents into a bowl.

Saitama considered that for a moment, watching Genos curiously. "Why not?" he asked. Saitama sat back up, accepting the bowl that Genos offered before he returned to his seat. "I mean, you've got plenty of options." Saitama nodded to pile of fan mail on the table.

"Those women do not mean anything to me," Genos stated matter-of-factly. "I have no interest in forming a relationship with any of them."

Saitama wondered if that meant there _was_ someone Genos had an interest in, but he decided not to ask. "Maybe you should give it a shot," Saitama said thoughtfully. "I mean, you're a young, good looking dude. You shouldn't be spending all your time hanging around me. You should, I don't know, be out having fun or something like that."

Genos did spend the majority of his time around Saitama. The older man thought back to his teenage days, and there sure as hell was no way he would have spent all his free time around some Class C bald hero. While Genos certaintly didn't seem to mind, Saitama sometimes wondered what Genos was really thinking, what the thoughts were behind some of his actions.

"I am here to learn from you, Sensei. I have no desire to partake in leisure activities." Golden eyes turned back to Saitama, with that too-intense stare.

Saitama shoved a handful of popcorn into his mouth, chewing and swallowing before continuing. "I mean, yeah, I get that. But that doesn't mean you can't have a life when we're not out there kicking butt."

"I am happy to be here, Sensei," Genos said bluntly. "My life is here now."

Saitama mulled over the cyborgs words, slightly embarassed by the cyborgs declaration. Genos always said things like that so easily. No wonder the girls were all over him. Suddenly, another question occured to Saitama. Before he thought better, he opened his mouth.

"Wait," Saitama blurted, waving his hands in front of him. "Does that mean you've never kissed anybody?"

Genos stared at Saitama with mild surprise before averting his gaze. "I have not," he said again, a bitter undertone to his voice. "I have never been in a positon with someone where the situation has presented itself, and even if there was someone, I do not think I would know what to do regardless. The entire process appears rather..." Genos eyed the screen, a skeptical look in his eyes. "Complicated."

"Nah, you worry too much," Saitama said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I mean, it's a little nerve wracking the first time, but once you get the right technique down it's pretty simple." Not that Saitama had much room to talk. The last time he kissed someone had been what? Four years ago? Maybe five...

Genos sat straight up in his seat. "Technique?" he questioned, turning his intense gaze to Saitama.

The older man shrugged, eyes flickering back the screen. "Well, there's not really a wrong or right way to go about it; it's more about feeling, ya know?" Saitama scratched his cheek idly. "I guess there is a little bit of skill involved, but nothing you won't figure out after the first couple of times." Okay, so he was making this up as he went, but he figured talking about romantic gestures like they were fighting techniques was the easiest way for Genos to understand.

"Sensei!" Suddenly Genos was on his feet, the notebook he'd been holding in his lap falling to the floor with a dull thud. "This 'technique' sounds, um, rather...difficult. I don't believe I fully understand." Genos cleared his throat, his eyes focused on anything other than Saitama's face. "Prehaps...prehaps a demonstration would-would clarify a few things." The cyborgs hands balled into fists, determanation in his eyes. Saitama got a faint whiff of burning metal.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa there, Genos, slow down," Saitama chuckled, startled by the others intensity. "You'll be fine, trust me."

"But," Genos sputtered into the insueing pause, "If you are correct in your statement that I will one day find myself in a position where this knowledge is necessary, I will be unprepared to deal with it properly. I have sworn to myself to learn all that I can from you, Saitama-Sensei. As your decipal, I would like to-"

"Genos," Saitama said, cutting the cyborgs rant short. "I'm not- I mean, if you're asking for me to teach you...whatever...it's-" Saitama cut off, waving his hand in an attempt to deter the words he couldn't say. "Listen, when you finally get yourself a little lady friend, I'm sure you'll handle her just fine on your own. Okay?"

As he turned his focus back to the movie-which was finally getting good again, by the looks of it- Saitama saw Genos slowly resume his seat, a defeated slump to his shoulders. _He'll be fine_ , Saitama told himself. It wasn't like this was the first time that Genos got worked up over something trivial. He'd be back to normal in no time.

After several minutes of uncomfortable silence, Saitama began to wonder if Genos really would be fine. He glanced over at the cyborg for the third time and saw that his posture hadn't changed at all since Saitama's rejection. His eyes were downcast, focusing on his feet instead of the screen, his shoulders still sagging with disappointment _. He's being ridiculous_ , Saitama told himself. Genos couldn't really have expected him to...

Saitama tried to ignore the nagging feeling in his gut, but his mind kept circling back to Genos. It almost seemed unfair, to deny Genos something when all the cyborg ever did was try his hardest to make Saitama's life easier.

Genos found inspiration in almost everything Saitama did, whether it be his pickyness over sale prices to the paticualr way he liked his tea made. Genos took everything seriously, too serisouly if you asked Saitama, but who didn't hava a few flaws? Saitama had long ago accepted Genos and all of this quirks. Sure, he was overdramatic and lacked a sense of humor, and could be annoyingly persistant when he wanted to, but who was he to judge? Genos had fallen in so easily with Saitama that sometimes the older man had to remind himself that the cyborg hadn't always been in his life.

He was important to Genos, he knew that. Genos had declared on more than one occasion that he was dedicated to Saitama, to getting stronger. Saitama remembred telling Genos he didn't want a deciple multiple times, but Genos had wormed himself in anyway, refusing to take no for an answer. Training techniques had been the beginning of their relationship, with Saitama nearly kicking Genos out at the end of each day. It was almost dizzying to think about the difference; now they had movie nights and bickered over which resturant to get take out from, or who would get in the shower first to get dibs on the hot water.

Saitama hadn't realized the extent of that change until two month ago. Up to that point, living with Genos had just become the standard norm. He got use to having a clean apartment and someone to cook dinner. He liked having someone to talk to, even if Genos lacked the same taste when it came to entertainment. Having Genos around was nice, but Saitama never realized how much he'd come to really apperciate him until all those things disappeared.

Two months ago, Genos got a call, saying that there was some giant monster or whatever raging around in downtown Z City. Several S-Class heros had already responded to the scene, but had been taken out in a matter of minutes. Nothing out of the ordinary. Genos told him the situation, and Saitama had thrown on his suit, feeling excited to finally have a little action after a few weeks of nothing. Once they were ready, the two of them had run at full speed, ready to do what they did best.

What Saitama saw upon arriving at the scene was not what he had expected; The monster was _huge, t_ he biggest either of them had ever seen. The color and texture of it's skin reminded Saitama of cement, and judging by the way the ground shook with each step, he might not be far off the mark. The thing had six huge arms, each as thick and heavily built as its body and legs. It swung at everthing, smashing buildings and cars with ease. Saitama felt another little flutter of excitement watching the destruction, hoping that the thing was even half as strong as it looked. Two of the monters arms hung limpy by it's side, apprently damaged by the other heros before their arrival. Saitama felt a little disappointed at that-he'd rather fight the thing at full health. It had been too long since he'd had a real challenge, and was looking forward to this one.

He had turned to Genos, lips moving to make some sort of comment, but the cyborg was already gone, having charged into battle with that over-eager enthustiam that Saitama could never understand. _Well, it couldn't hurt to give him a headstart_ , Saitama told himself. He watched as Genos powered through the air, dodging limbs at an incredibal rate as he waited for the right time to strike.

Unfortuntely, that time never came.

Just as Genos was about to make his move, one of the arms that had been lying limply at the monsters side flung foward. Eyes trained on his target, Genos failed to notice the lightening fast swing come up from behind. Saitama was able to utter one syllable of warning before the arm caught Genos square across the back, slamming him to the ground with enough force to cause the ground to crack and split. To top it off, once the monster pulled it's arm back, the thing lifted one of it's heavy legs and stomped the ground where the cyborg lay, pulversing him into that ground and smearing his body in way simiar to how people crushed bugs.

The monster didn't get a chance to admire it's work before Saitama punched the thing once in the center of its body. The hit caused cracks to run up and down its torso, more and more spreading before the thing finally disinigerated into a pile of dust. Saitama felt a pang of disappointment at how easily the monster had fallen, kicking at the pile of power before heading to check on his companion.

Normally, Saitama didn't worry too much about Genos getting hurt. After all, he'd seen the guy literally lose limbs and have his face torn off more times than he could count. But none of that prepared him for what he saw.

Genos was scattered in more bits and pieces than Saitama had ever seen before. Twisted chunks of metal and wiring littered the ground, one piece as indestighuable as the next. Saitama stared at the wreckage that was Genos-that mess on the ground was _Genos_ , damnit-before flying into action.

He knew there were too many pieces for him to pick up alone, so that was out of the question. It took him a few minutes to finally find one of the other S-Class heros who had shown up to get ahold of the association. They got in contact with Doctor Kuseno, and within the hour Saitama was helping a few assisstants pick up the parts of his friend.

Saitama went with them back to the lab, pacing wall to wall while the doctor examined Genos. After what felt like an enterinty, the older man emerged, wiping sweat from his forehead.

 _He'll be alright_ , Doctor Kuseno said _, But it's going to take quiet a while to put him back together this time. I'm going to have to rewire most of his nervous system, as well as mend just about every piece of metal he's got on him. He'll be good as new in a couple of weeks._

Relief washed over Saitama at the words. Genos would be fine.

He hung around the lab for a while longer, waiting to hear any more news, but by the time the sun was setting, he hadn't heard anything new. Doctor Kuseno had his number, and Saitama knew he'd call if he had anything to tell him. Stealing one last glance aross the room, Saitama headed home.

It was a quiet walk back, without Genos and his usual jabber. Saitama found himself more often than not staring at the smeared grease stains on his gloves rather than where he was going. By the time he made his way home, the sky was black, and a chilly breeze rippled though the night air.

Saitama did what he usually did after a particually messy fight; He took off his suit and, after inspecting it for damage, he hung it back up in his closet. Then he took a quick shower, letting the hot water relax the tense muscles of his back and shoulders. Once he was clean and changed, he took his gloves to the kitchen with the intention of scrubbing them clean, only to stop midway to the sink.

He paused, turning around and scanning the apartment., his gloves clenched in one fist.

Empty. Quiet.

Saitama looked back down at the gloves in hands, his gloves that were covered in Genos, and felt vaugley sick. The silence weighed on his ears, an umcomfortable pressure that wouldn't go away.

He didn't end up washing the gloves. Instead he set them down on the coffee table and tried to go to sleep, which he quickly learned was impossible without the usual whir of Genos and his fans. He tossed and turned most of the night, his eyes constantly straying to the empty fouton next to his.

It was a long two weeks.

Saitama realized that he missed all kinds of things about Genos. He missed their bickering over breakfast as they cut out coupons for a new sale. He missed Genos critizing the manga he read, or the ridiculous shows he watched. He missed the sight of Genos in his pink apron clanking around the kitchen as he made dinner or or washed the dishes. He missed the fact that he could ask Genos any question, and no matter how silly or weird it was, Genos would give a serious answer every single time.

He kept the apartment clean and tidy, not wanting Genos to come home to a mess, but even that took most of Saitama's efforts. When he wasn't doing the dishes (there were only dishes for one, not two, like there should have been) or taking out the trash, Saitama basically lounged around the apartment, bored out of his mind. Even his usual hobbies couldn't hold his interest for long. Without Genos there, everything felt so empty.

He knew, somewhere in the back of his mind, that this is what life had been like before he met Genos. He was surprised to learn just how much _life_ Genos had brought back into his boring little world. The thought was a little staggering.

After 12 long days, when Saitama finally got a call from Doctor Kuesno, he was estatic. He rushed over to the lab, feeling more excited and downright giddy then he had in a long time.

Genos stood outside, waiting with Doctor Kuesno, looking as though he hadn't been a mess of parts just a few weeks ago. Saitama felt relief wash over him again. Genos was fine, he looked fine. All those bits and pieces that Saitama had collected two weeks ago were back in their proper place. Genos was okay, and everything was going to go back to how it was before that stupid monster decided to crush the cyborg into the ground.

And things did return to normal. Well, mostly. The only differnce now was the knowledge of how important Genos really was, something Saitama had never really considered before.

He never told Genos, though. He could never find the right words. The best he'd done was when he picked Genos up from the lab. He played it cool, mostly, keeping the conversation normal and mudane. It wasn't until they were home, and Genos went right to making dinner that Saitama stopped him, clasping a hand to the cyborg's shoulder.

"I'm glad you're okay. I was, uh-I was really worried about you."

It wasn't much, and it didn't come close to explaining what Saitama had actually felt during those long two weeks, but it was the best he could do. Expressing himself was never something he was good at, a flaw he was well aware of. And of course Genos had responded with his usual self-depecting comments, saying _I'm sorry for worrying you, Sensei_ and _I've learned from my mistakes and I will try harder next time_ , as if Genos thought that Saitama had been talking about his battle skills alone, rather than out of legitimite concern for the cyborg.

The same cybrog who was currently pouting on the couch not five feet away.

Something like guilt rolled though his stomach. _Genos was being ridiculous_ , he told himself again _._ Just because he cared for Genos in a way that he wasn't quite sure how to explain anymore didn't me he had to...

Saitama's brain spun in circles, switching between concern and guilt and confusion and also something he couldn't explain. He still regretted it, not telling Genos how he felt. He often wished for someway to express it, but talking certaintly wasn't his strong suit. All Saitama could do was hope that Genos knew how he felt, without him having to say it outloud.

Saitama stole one more look at Genos, and there he was, looking as heartbroken as he had minutes ago, eyes fixed on his feet. Genos never asked for anything, and now here he was, with a simple request, and Saitama was denying him, like he didn't care at all...

Something in Saitama snapped, and he found himself acting without putting any thought behind the actions at all.

"God _damnit_ , Genos!" Saitama shouted, pushing to his feet, unable to bear the tension in the room any longer. In two quick steps, he was in front of Genos, reaching out and grabbing the cyborg roughly by the collar of his shirt and pulling him foward until their noses almost touched.

"I'm only gonna do this once, so you better pay attention, got it?" The cyborgs eyes widened at the strict tone, his mouth opening and closing dumbly as he fumbled for a response.

"What do you-" Saitama cut him off, closing the little distance between them and pressing his lips firmly against the others. Genos froze instantly under the touch, his entire body going stiff as a board. Saitama lifted his other hand and tangled his fingers in synthetic hair, yanking roughly and _forcing_ Genos to respond. After all, if he was going to this, then Genos had damn well better do something other then sit there like a pile of bricks. Saitama was simply giving him what he asked for.

Saitama yanked on blond locks again, and this time, Genos _did_ respond, moaning softly and parting his lips. Saitama took the invintation and deepened the kiss, sweeping his tongue though the others mouth, his head buzzing with a million different thoughts, most of which centered around how incredibly _real_ Genos felt. With his eyes shut, Saitama wouldn't have known he was kissing a person who was more metal than flesh, not with how soft the cyborgs lips were, or how hot and slick the inside of his mouth was, or how...

Genos kissed him back with a fiercness that was both suprising and expected. The cyborg never did things half way, after all. Saitama felt warm metal fingers gently caress his face before Genos slid his hand around Saitama's neck, arching foward to close the gap between them. Saitama felt a tongue slide against his own, and _holy shit_ , that felt real too.

Saitama leaned foward, pressing Genos back into the couch, nipping at his bottom lip and feeling encouraged when Genos moaned again, soft and needy. The sound stirred something in the older man, something he hadn't felt in a long, long time. It was good, too good, and suddenly he found himself wondering how Genos would sound in other situations...

Saitama broke the kiss, pulling back with a start when he realized the direction of his thoughts along with that fact that this little 'lesson' had gone on way longer than he intended. Genos started at him blankly with a dazed look in his eyes, a trail of saliva hanging from his lips and a pink flush to his cheeks. Saitama stared back, suddenly aware that room felt blazing hot, probaby due to the puffs of steam that were escaping the seams of metal in the cyborgs chest and shoulders. The sound of the televison was drowed out by the loud hum of fans that Saitama reconized as the cyborg's cooling system, apparently working in overdrive.

"Um, yeah, so..." Saitama muttered awkwardly. What the hell was he suppose to do now? Maybe if he just pretended like nothing happened, this whole thing would blow over.

He stood up and made his way back to his seat, plopping down on the couch and focusing his attenion back on the screen. After a few moments he grabbed the remote, turning up the volume to drown out the whir of high powered fans.

They watched in silence, the sounds coming from Genos gradually fading to their normal volume. Saitama stole a peek at the cyborg to see his gaze back on the television once again, rather than on the floor, and Saitama felt relieved that everthing seemed back to normal.

The movie was almost over, and half of the group of teens were dead now, and one of the remaining girls was badly injured after being bitten. As they boarded up the room, the girl suddenly began screaming as a full size beaver tail grew from her back, and giant buck teeth pushed though her top lip. Turns out, being bitten by a zombie beaver turns humans into one too.

"Just when I thought this movie could not get any worse," Genos murmered, shaking his head. Saitama turned to look at the cyborg, a small smile on his lips. Genos met his gaze and returned it, a bit of pink still coloring his cheeks.

Saitama smirked. "What do you mean? I think this is the best one we've watched yet! I wonder if there's a sequel?" Genos snorted, his eyes darting away and back to Saitama again, that small smile still perched on his lips.

"If you say so, Sensei." Genos paused for a moment before adding, "I think I could handle watching another one."

Saitama smiled again. Everything really was back to normal.

A week later, and Saitama was busy cutting up vegetables in the kitchen. Usually Genos was the one to prepare dinner, but the cyborg was currently in the shower, washing off the evidence of their latest battle.

The monster they faced this time had been different; rather than being soild and strong, this one had been soft and squishy. Saitama had described it as looking like a jellyfish at first sight, and Genos had nodded in agreement. It wasn't very big, roughly the size of a small house, but it could hover a few feet off the ground, and was making good use of its multiple arms to lift and hurl objects at an alarming rate.

As usual, Saitama hung back a bit to let Genos take the lead. The cyborg had little problem getting within firing range of the monster, using the palm of his hand to launch a perfect strike. The blast created a car-sized hole though the center of the beast, and Saitama had felt a little bit of pride at watching Genos take the thing down so easily.

That is, until the giant hole began to close up, the edges rippling and expanding. Within thirty seconds, the wound was gone, and the monter continued on his rampage like nothing happened.

Saitama and Genos watched this happen with their mouths hung open in equal states of shock _. Figures_ , Saitama thought bitterly, _Genos finally gets a good hit and the damn thing can grow itself back like a lizard_.

An idea occured to him then, and he quickly darted foward to put it into action. He ran straight towards the beast, leaping into the air at the last possible second and thrusting his fist foward with all the strenght he could muster. Only, instead of making direct contact with the squishy flesh, he stopped a few inches away.

The result was instant. The force behind the punch blasted the floating thing into a million blubbery bits, splattering against buildings and covering the street in slimly goo. _Lets see him come back from that_ , Saitama thought smugly.

He landed on two feet, surveying the damage done and the mess that was left to clean up. At least he hadn't gotten any of the jelly-like substance on him.

"Sensei," The cybrog's voice sounded oddly muffled, and further away then he thought it would be.

Saitama turned at the sound, looking for Genos but not finding him anywhere. "Genos?" he called, eyes scanning the streets. "Where are you?"

"Here, Sensei," came the response. Saitama followed the voice, standing before a giant pile of the slimy mess. If he squinted, he could just make out a few metal fingers poking out near the bottom of the blob.

Saitama burst into laughter.

"Holy crap, Genos!" Saitama doubled over, not even trying to hide it. "I'm sorry, dude, I didn't see you there! I guess-" he laughed again, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. "I guess I should have made sure you were out the way first."

Saitama bit back another round of chuckles as he helped Genos out of the the sticky mess. Goo matted his hair to his forhead, and was smudged into every creavice his metal body had. In other words, Genos was an absolute mess, and it was hiliarous.

They made their way back home, Saitama promising to give Genos first dibs on the shower while he started dinner. Genos nodded absentmindedly, his thoughts apparently on something else.

"You did good back there, you know," Saitama stated, trying to get the cyborgs attention. "If that had been any nomal monster, that move totally would have worked."

"But it _was_ this monster and it _didn't_ work." Genos contridicted. "Had you not been there, Sensei, the jellyfish would still be damaging the city. Only your quick thinking saved us."

Saitama regarded Genos blankly for a moment before answering, gathing his thoughts and speaking carefully. "You know...I only knew how to beat him because you struck first. If I hadn't known it could heal itself like that, I would have done exactly what you did."

"Yes," Genos agreed, "but you were still the one to discover its weakness regardless of who struck first. If it weren't for you, I-"

"Genos," Saitama cut him off, stopping on the sidewalk. Genos halted next to him, his brows furrowed and his eyes downcast. "Listen, you know...you know I'm not good at this...teaching thing or whatever," Saitama gestured between them with a hurried motion. "But I'm trying to tell you that you did a good job today, and that I was really impressed. Practice makes perfect, and you're really getting a lot better. So just...quit pouting and accept it already, alright?"

It was the longest speech Saitama had ever made, he was sure of that. He folded his arms across his chest, waiting for the cyborgs response. Genos finally looked up, an unreadable expression on his face. Saitama stared back fiercely, determination in his eyes. He meant what he said, every word of it, and Genos was going to accept it, if he knew what was good for him.

They stared each other down, and after a moment, Genos finally lowered his gaze. "...Okay, Sensei. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Saitama responded, moving foward again. Genos fell into step beside him, silent for the rest of the way home.

Once they entered the apartment, Genos had headed straight for the shower, trying his hardest to not track any of the slime on the clean floor. That left Saitama alone to start dinner. He wasn't much of a cook, but he could handle simple tasks like chopping vegetables and making rice. He would save actually preparing the meal to Genos when he returned.

Ten minutes later and he heard the bathroom door creak open. He could hear the cyborg's soft footsteps as he moved towards the kitchen. Saitama started arranging the ingredents, waiting for Genos to come in and take over, but the footsteps stopped just inside the doorway.

"I've got everything ready," Saitama told him, not turning around as he scrapped off the cutting board.

No response. The apartment was quiet execpt for the hum of fans that were slowing getting louder with every passing second.

"Genos?" Saitama turned around, confused as to why Genos hadn't made a move to come help him. He knew Saitama was a shitty cook, and why the hell were his fans so damn loud? "What-mmph!"

He didn't get a chance to finish his sentence before a pair of lips were on his, one metal hand carassing his face while the other wrapped eagerly around his waist. Genos pressed foward, and Saitama stumbled backwards until he collided with the counter behind him, and even then, Genos didn't stop. The cyborg merely leaned against him until their bodies were flush against one another. Saitama gasped at the sensation, and Genos didn't hesitate to thrust his tongue into the older man's mouth.

Saitama's head spun, trying to keep up with the rapid change of the situation. He didn't even realize he was kissing back until he heard Genos whimper, the cyborg rolling his hips foward to meet Saitama's. He lifted his hands and fisted them in the stupid shirt Genos always wore, but rather than shoving him away, Saitama found himself pulling the cyborg closer, licking along the inside of his mouth until he felt Genos shudder against him.

While the majortiy of his mind was focused on Genos, and how _absolutly incredible_ this was, a small part wondered what it meant. Saitama hadn't so much as felt the desire to even go on a date with someone in years, so why the hell was he was so okay with kissing Genos? He wasn't just kissing Genos, he was _enjoying_ it too. _Maybe it's because he's important to you_ , a small voice whispered. _Or maybe it's something else... something more than that._

Saitama he didn't want to think about it anymore right now. Everything felt complicted yet simplistic at the same time, and he didn't know what to do about that. What he did know was that he was getting impossibly lightheaded, and that if Genos kept making sounds like that, he wasn't sure what would happen.

Trying to be gentle, he pushed Genos off of him. Their lips broke with a loud smack, and Genos stumbled back a few steps, his eyes unfocused. The room was burning up, and Saitama was sure it had nothing to do with the stove being on. They both panted for a moment, trying to catch their breath, the only other sound in the room beside the deafening whir of fans coming from Genos.

When he felt like he could breathe again, Saitama rubbed the back of his hand across his lips and fixed his eyes on Genos. "So, uh..." Saitama didn't see a point in beating around the bush, and Genos had a lot of explaing to do. Might as well get it over with. "Wanna tell me what the hell was that about?"

Genos lowered his gaze immediatly, the pink coloring his cheeks oddly endearing. "I-I was thinking about what you said, Sensei, on the way back here. About...about 'practice makes perfect', so I thought-I thought that perhaps I should apply that principal to everything I have learned from you."

Shit, he did say that, didn't he? Saitama never thought Genos would take it that seriously!Okay, or at the very least, he hadn't thought Genos would be bold enough to attack him in the kitchen. He really needed to watch what he said around the kid...

"I apologize, Sensei. It will not happen again, I just-"

"Stop," Saitama held up a hand before pinching the bridge of his nose. "You don't have to-I mean, could you just..at least give me a heads up next time? I could have cut my fingers off over here."

Saitama turned his back to the cyborg, continueing with dinner as though everything was normal. There was a long pause of silence before Genos spoke, stepping up to the counter and taking a bowl of diced carrots from Satiama's hands.

"Yes, Sensei."

Maybe things were still normal afterall.


	2. Chapter 2

Saitama stood in the candy aisle at the store, a finger to his chin as he looked over the brightly colored packages.

He wasn't entirely sure what he was doing here. After all, he wasn't a big fan of sweets, as a general rule. Genos was though, or so he thought. Saitama sorta recalled Genos saying something once, about how sweet and sugary foods didn't do much in terms of fueling his body, but that they ' _stimulated his taste buds_ ' or something, which Saitama had translated into ' _they taste good_ '.

Thinking of Genos pulled him up short. Was that why he was here? To get something for Genos? Like...as a gift or something?

He didn't know why he would. He'd never felt any particular urge to get Genos something before. Well...maybe he had a little, after that whole Genos-getting-hurt incident. But after what happened a few weeks ago, Saitama definitely shouldn't feel the need to do something nice for the cyborg, especially after all _that._ Yet here he was, looking over candy he had no interest in, with Genos on his mind.

The cyborg had been on his mind a lot lately.

Just as Saitama was reaching towards the packages, Genos appeared around the corner of the aisle, a shopping basket loaded with groceries hooked in one arm and a folded piece of paper in the other.

"I believe I have everything on the list, unless you-" Genos broke off, eyes flickering between the shelves and Saitama's face. "What are you doing over here, Sensei?"

"Oh, uh, I thought I remembered seeing something in the paper the other day about a sale, but I guess not." Saitama shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. He turned away from the shelves, eyeing the basket Genos held. "I guess we're ready to go."

Genos blinked. "Are you sure? I could go find a manager and ask-"

"Nah, don't worry about it," Saitama said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I just thought I'd check it out, since we're here and everything. Anyway, you ready to go?"

Genos nodded, and they made their way to the check-out. A few minutes later and they were walking down the sidewalk, a few bags clutched in each of their hands. Genos kept the conversation up, going on about the new listings that had come out on the Hero's Association webpage. Saitama was only half paying attention, the majority of his mind still stuck back in the candy aisle of the store.

He didn't understand what the big deal was; he had never gone out of his way to get Genos something before. Genos was loaded, after all. Even though Saitama refused to spend any of the rent money the cyborg handed over every month, Genos still had more than enough cash to get himself anything he might want. Why should Saitama feel the need to buy Genos a pack of sweets when the cyborg was perfectly capable of buying his own? It didn't make any sense.

Saitama glanced over at Genos, who still prattling on, oblivious the internal war that was raging on in his brain. Genos never had any problems doing over-the-top nice things for him, and yet Saitama couldn't even pick out a stupid pack of candy…

"Oh my _gosh_ , is that the Demon Cyborg!?"

Saitama and Genos both ground to a halt at the high pitched squeal, turning just in time to see a hoard of girls come barreling down the sidewalk. Saitama found himself quickly shoved aside as the group swarmed around Genos, circling him from all sides and leaving him no room to escape.

Saitama huffed a sigh and leaned against the nearest building, setting the bags down near his feet. He knew from experience that this was going to take a while. Genos was too polite to tell the girls to buzz off, even though Saitama knew he wanted nothing more than to do just that. _If only they knew what he did with all those nice letters and photos they always bothered to send,_ Saitama thought to himself. He almost felt smug.

The girls poked and prodded at Genos, asking him inane questions that Saitama had heard a thousand times before. Saitama rolled his eyes, turning away from the scene in front of him to scan the streets, looking for something, _anything_ , to distract him. Maybe he could find a nice picture in the clouds or something, or a stray cat that he could try to save.

His eyes flickered back when a few of the girls let out a loud peal of laughter, and Saitama found himself more than curious as to what Genos could have possibly said that was so funny. One of the girls -a pretty blonde with long hair and fluttering eyelashes- had her hand on the cyborg's chest, her other arm stretched up to run her fingers through his hair. She laughed, leaning in closer, and Saitama watched as Genos craned his neck to keep her lips away.

Saitama felt a dull ache spread through his chest at the sight, changing into a flash of some emotion he didn't recognize. It made him feel...almost angry, although he couldn't imagine why. After all, he had seen this scene a dozen times before, and he had never felt anything. Well, anything other than the desire to go home. Hell, there had even been a few times in the past where he _had_ left, calling over his shoulder and telling Genos that he'd see him at home.

But now, all he wanted to do was march over there and pull Genos away from those women, to stand between him and them until they all got the hint to leave. He thought about the incident a few weeks ago, when Genos had pinned him against the counter in the kitchen, his metal fingers gripping at Saitama's waist with their bodies flush together...

Another round of giggling pulled Saitama from this thoughts with a start. He looked back at the pack of girls to see that they had moved in closer. The cyborg looked openly uncomfortable now, trying to remain polite while frantically searching for an escape route. His golden eyes locked with Saitama's for a brief second, and that look was the final straw as Saitama made a decision.

Without thinking, he pushed ahead, shoving his way through the frenzy of girls until he reached Genos. He carefully pried the hand of the blonde off of the cyborg's chest, casually slinging an arm around his shoulder in the process. The girls all took a step back, their mouths hung open as though a giant, man-eating spider had entered the group.

"Uh, sorry to interrupt," Saitama sputtered into the ensuing pause. He hadn't thought this through at all. "But um, my, uh, my... boyfriend and I have somewhere to be, so if you'll excuse us…"

 _Shit._ Well that _definitely_ wasn't what he intended to say at all, but it did the trick. Saitama tugged Genos along, easily maneuvering through the thong of horror-struck girls, all of them too shocked to respond.

Saitama bent to scoop up his share of groceries with his free hand, the other keeping a hold on the cyborg's shoulders. Once they rounded the nearest corner, Saitama glanced behind them to see if any of them had tried to follow.

The street was deserted.

Saitama let out a sigh of relief, pulling his arm back and taking a small step away from Genos, who had been eerily silent since their departure. His fans were pretty loud, though.

"Pretty good, right?" Saitama asked, nudging Genos in the ribs with his elbow, the corner of his mouth pulling up into a smile.

"Y-yes, Sensei." Genos paused for a long moment, his cheeks turning an artificial shade of pink. The sound of his fans grew louder. "Did you-did you say _b-boyfriend_?"

Saitama felt a faint flutter in his stomach, which he promptly ignored. "Sure did," he grinned. "Worked like a charm, don't you think? I mean c'mon, did you see their faces? It was totally hilarious!"

" _Oh,_ " Genos said, in a tone that sounded oddly disappointed. He blinked a few times before facing forward, his shoulders sagging just a little.

Saitama kept his eyes on Genos, his eyebrows knitting together as he tried to figure out what he'd done wrong. There was no way Genos had actually _wanted_ to keep talking to those girls, right? Genos had never shown any interest in them before, so what could have changed in such a short period of time?

Their conversation from a few weeks ago passed through his mind. He remembered Genos telling him about his nonexistent love life, and Saitama had encouraged him to pursue one, possibly with one of his fangirls…

Saitama stopped dead in his tracks at the memory. Had Genos been trying to follow his advice, as he often did? And had he just ruined it?

Genos took a few more steps before realizing that Saitama was no longer beside him. The cyborg turned, looking at the older man with a confused expression.

"You...you didn't actually want to talk to them, did you?" Saitama asked.

Genos stared at him blankly for a moment before answering, averting his gaze once again. "No, Sensei, I did not. As I have said before, I have no interest in those women."

"Well then what's with the sour look? If you wanna go back-"

"It's nothing, Sensei." Genos interrupted, the corners of his lips pulling into a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Thank you for rescuing me."

Saitama felt a wave of relief wash over him. Genos wasn't mad at him, at the very least. "What's the matter? None of them your type?" he teased, jerking his chin the direction they came from.

Genos turned to meet Saitama's gaze, the cyborg's eyes blazing with intensity. "No, none of them are my type."

"Huh," Saitama managed, once again wondering what _was_ Genos' type, but he decided not to pry, especially after this whole ordeal. So instead he said nothing, the two of them remaining silent for the rest of the trip home.

Genos spoke up once they reached the apartment, telling Saitama that he'd be up in a minute, and that there was something he wanted to check into first, which was weird, but Saitama decided not to question it. Instead he took the cyborg's share of the groceries and made his way upstairs.

He had just finished unloading the last of the supplies when Genos entered the apartment, his arms full of brightly colored envelopes.

"Jeez," Saitama commented, "more fan mail already? Didn't we just check it ,like, five days ago or something?"

"We did, Sensei," Genos responded, dumping the letters onto the coffee table. He began riffling through pile quickly, apparently looking for something in particular. "However, these letters were not my intention."

Genos pulled a thin, rectangular package from the mound of letters, examining the shipping label with vivid interest. Whatever it was, it appeared to be what Genos had been looking for. Saitama wandered over to Genos, curious as to what oddity some fangirl had sent him.

"What do you think it is this time?" Saitama wondered out loud. He eyed the shape of the package, his index finger tapping idly against his chin. "Hmm...photos? Oh! Or maybe it's a manga or something. It's sorta book-shaped…"

"Actually…" Genos trailed off, seeming uncertain for a moment. He eyes met Saitama's briefly before flitting away, appearing almost shy. "It...it is for you, Sensei."

Saitama blinked. "For me?" He was lucky to even receive one letter compared to the dozens Genos got, and even then, that single letter usually wasn't very nice. Most of them were from old ladies berating him for property damage more than anything. A package was unheard of. "Why the hell would someone send _me_ a package?"

Genos hesitated for a moment before taking a deep breath, finally meeting Saitama's gaze with that blazing intensity again. Without warning the cyborg thrust his hand out, the corner of the package nearly poking Saitama in the chest. Then Genos was speaking at a mile-a-minute, the words flowing so quickly that Saitama could barely keep up.

"Sensei! I recently purchased an item that I thought you may enjoy. I know you do not like it when I make unnecessary purchases, but when it comes you, nothing is unnecessary! I hope that you will accept my gift and that its purchase will not weigh heavily on your mind. Please accept this and know that-"

"Enough!" Saitama interrupted, pointing an accusing finger toward the cyborg. "I've told you before, keep it under twenty words and try again!"

Genos paused for a moment before giving a quick nod. He cleared his throat and extended the package again, more gently this time. "I saw this online and it made me think of you…"

Saitama stared at the package for a long time before slowly reaching out and taking it into his hands. "You...bought me something?"

The cyborg jerked his chin in another nod. "Yes, Sensei," Genos bowed his head a little, gesturing for Saitama to open it up.

Saitama turned the box over in his hands before tearing the strip of packing tape away. He slid a finger under the cardboard flap and flipped it open, pulling out what appeared to be a DVD case, still sealed in the plastic wrapping.

Saitama flipped the case around in his hands, tossing the box aside. _ThanksKilling_ was printed across the top in creepy letters, with what appeared to be a terrible CGI rendering of a turkey staring straight at him. The tagline of ' _gobble gobble, motherfucker'_ made the corner of Saitama's mouth twitch towards a smile. The movie looked absolutely _awful._

He lifted his gaze towards Genos, momentarily speechless. "...you bought this for me?"

Genos nodded, taking a small step forward. "Yes, Sensei. I thought-I thought perhaps we could watch it tonight. I know it is a personal enjoyment of yours, especially on the weekends."

"But you can't stand these movies," Saitama blurted before thinking about it.

Genos adverted his gaze, his eyes flickering back and forth between Saitama and the floor. "I admit I do not understand the humor you seem to find in them, but that does not mean I don't enjoy spending time with you," he said shyly. Maybe Saitama was imagining it, but it seemed like the cyborg's fans were humming at a slightly louder volume.

Saitama looked down at the DVD in his hands, his eyebrows pulling together in irritation. This wasn't _fair_ , not at all. He'd been wracking his brain all day -hell, for the past few _weeks_ \- trying to think of just _one_ nice thing he could do for Genos. Saitama hadn't even been able to pick out a damn package of sweets, and here was Genos, buying him a movie that he totally would have gotten himself and saying all these nice things like it was _nothing_.

And it wasn't _nothing_. Genos had found this stupid movie and knew that Saitama would like it. He even paid for it with his own money, despite the fact that Genos himself had no interest in it at all. _And now_ he was just standing there, saying all these nice things about Saitama like it was effortless.

"Sensei…?" Genos asked nervously, pulling him from his thoughts. "If you do not wish to accept it, it's a simple process to return-"

Saitama jerked his chin up, clutching the movie to his chest protectively and twisting away from Genos. "Are you kidding? Of course I want it. I just…" He trailed off, chewing on his lower lip. He wished he was better at this, but he had accepted long ago that expressing his feelings would never come naturally. He might as well just spit it out. "I just...I feel bad, I guess. You're always doing all this nice stuff for me, and... I dunno, I guess I feel like I don't do enough for you, ya know?

"That is nonsense, Sensei. You have nothing to feel guilty about. You do so much for me as it is. Not only have you agreed to teach me, but you have also allowed me to live with you and eat with you and-"

"Stop," Saitama interrupted, waving his free hand in front of him. "That's not-I mean yeah, that's true, but it's not what I'm talking about. I mean _this_." He held the DVD case up as evidence. "All this...extra stuff that you do all the time. I just wanna do something nice for you once in awhile, but I can never think of anything. It makes me feel like I don't know you or something. And well, it kinda makes me feel like shit."

He stared at Genos, hoping that he understood what Saitama was trying to say. He knew it probably didn't make any sense, and he was terrible at explaining stuff. Saitama barely understood it himself. He didn't know where this sudden urge had come from, especially since he hadn't felt it before...

Before the kiss.

The thought pulled him up short. Why in the hell was he thinking about _that_ again? And why _now_?

Was it because he still felt guilty over Genos getting hurt? Or maybe it was because he had hoped that by agreeing to the cyborgs stupid request that night, that he would feel better about it? Or because despite all of that, he _still_ hadn't been able to tell Genos how much he really meant to Saitama?

Or was it because he wanted it to happen again?

Saitama shoved the thought out of his head as quickly as it appeared. He focused his gaze back on Genos, who was staring at him blankly.

"I just...I wanna do nice stuff for you too," Saitama said, shrugging his shoulders.

Genos blinked at him a few times, looking a little lost. "I...I was unaware that this was an issue. However, I want to you know, Sensei, that I am not bothered by it. I'm happy just to be in your company, and that is more than enough. Honestly and sincerely, you have no reason to feel guilty for anything. If anything, you should-"

"See?" Saitama interrupted, pointing a finger at Genos. "You're doing it again!"

Genos seemed genuinely confused, judging by way his eyebrows were knitted together. Saitama ran his hand over his face in exasperation before trying a different tactic.

"How about this," he started. "Since I can't think of anything on my own, how about you give me a few ideas about something you might want."

"You don't have to-"

"Genos," Saitama cut him off sharply. "Please? I'm not asking for anything big. Just, I dunno...anything, really." He almost mentioned the candy thing, but since it was the only idea he had come up with on his own, he really wanted to keep it a secret for now. "When I ask you what you want from me, what's the first thing that pops into your head?"

"A date," Genos said immediately.

The words hung in the air between them, taking their time to settle into Saitama's brain. Before he could say anything, Genos starting speaking very quickly, a few puffs of steam escaping from the vents in his chest.

"I-I mean...Sensei! I did not mean- I...what I meant to say was that, uh…" Genos took a breath, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. The cyborgs cheeks were a startling bright shade of red, and Saitama found himself wondering if the heat would melt the synthetic skin right off. "I apologize, Sensei. I did not mean...if you give me some time, I am certain I will think of someth-"

"It's okay," Saitama said, cutting Genos off. Seriously, he had never seen the cyborg this upset before. "I asked what the first thing you thought of was, and uh, you answered pretty quickly, so…"

Saitama had said _anything_ , and while _a date_ was an answer he was definitely not expecting, he was a man of his word. It was surprising, for one thing. Why the hell would Genos ask for a date with _him_ , of all people? Especially when he had dozens of other options to choose from… Once again, Saitama found the cyborg's thought process confusing. But as he always did, he knew that it wasn't his place to judge. Who knew? Maybe there was some reason behind the request that Saitama couldn't even guess at.

Besides, how bad could it be?

"I've gotta warn you though," Saitama continued, breaking the heavy silence that filled the room. Genos hadn't moved an inch since Saitama's interruption. "I haven't been on anything close to a date in a few years, so don't be expect too much, alright?"

Genos blinked at him slowly as Saitama's words sunk in. "You...really mean that, Sensei?"

"Well yeah," Saitama said. "Don't you remember? I told you how bad my last date ended, a few years after high school."

The cyborg shook his head and took a half step closer to Saitama. "Not about that. I meant...about the other thing you said. Are you seriously agreeing to my request, Sensei?"

Saitama didn't give himself the chance to think twice about his answer. "Yeah, I am." He paused for a second, trying to think through what he wanted to say. "Just….just remember what I said. I haven't messed with any of this stuff in a long time, so…"

"Do not worry, Sensei," Genos said, finally relaxing from his stiff position from earlier. He started absently stacking the remaining fan mail into neat piles as he spoke. "I was simply thinking along the lines of watching your new movie together, if that is adequate for you."

Saitama raised his eyebrows, his head tilting a little to the side. "Really? That's it? I mean, not that I'm complaining. It's just...we already do that anyway, right?"

Genos met his gaze, that unfamiliar shy smile perched on the corners of his lips. "We do," he agreed. "That is more or less the purpose of my request. Like I said, I enjoy spending time with you, and I enjoy seeing you happy. This is a way for me to achieve both."

"If you say so," Saitama said, running a hand over his bald head. None of this made any sense to him, but he hoped that later on it might.

He watched Genos finish shuffling the envelopes around, shoving them off to one side of the table. Genos turned and made his way to the kitchen, picking through the contents that were spread across the counter.

"What sounds good for lunch, Sensei?"

Saitama thought it was kind of funny, how easily the conversation had returned to normal. It reminded him before, with the kiss and all….He'd expected things to be awkward after that, but it never came. Actually...it had never really gotten awkward to begin with.

He hoped that would hold true for tonight.


End file.
